When in Austria, Ivan Nagy received his earliest musical training from his teacher Engelbert Dominik. In the US his mentors were Richard Fryxell of Rock Island, Illinois, and Maestro Charles Gigante, conductor of the Tri-City Symphony Orchestra. Beyond a couple of music and arts appreciation courses in college, all musical training in composing has been self-taught. While teaching in the Davenport schools, several of his compositions received favorable public performances. His style is neo-romantic, lyrical, and often contains strong references to his Croatian heritage. He is a member of the Center for the Promotion of Contemporary Composers (CPCC), the American Composers Forum, and the Iowa Composers Forum.